FAQs About Benefits—Health Spending and Insurance Issues

Where do Americans get their health insurance?

Historically, the vast majority of insured Americans are covered by a link to the work force, but this segment has been declining lately. During the 1987-2006 period, employment-based coverage declined from 70.1 percent to 62.2 percent of the nonelderly population while those with public health insurance (i.e. Medicaid, Medicare, and various state non-Medicaid programs), grew from 13.7 percent to 17.9 percent. Those individuals buying their own coverage has long hovered around 7 percent.

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